Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Yablochnyi Spas (Apple Feast) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial/heirloom variety often distributed by well-known seed vendors like Valeriy Medvedev and Ilya Korolev. The name “Yablochnyi Spas” translates to “Apple Feast” (or Apple Savior), a traditional Russian agricultural holiday in August. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall and vigorous, easily reaching over 2 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Krab (Japanese Crab) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Russian variety originally registered by “Demetra-Sibir” (Altai region). The name translates to “Japanese Crab”, referring to the ribbed, somewhat flattened shape of the original strain that supposedly resembles a crab. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall (typically 1.5–2 meters / 5–6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponka (Japanese Girl) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian/Eastern European internet heirloom. The name translates to “Japanese Girl” or “Japanese Woman”. It is believed to be closely related to the famous ‘Cardinal’ variety but features a distinct pointed tip. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, typically growing 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) tall. It has … Read more
Quick Summary of Jarson 13 (Ochre Pear) 🌍 Origin & Breeding: A highly sought-after amateur variety bred by a Polish breeder known as Jarson. It was created by crossing two legendary Russian heirlooms: Malakhitovaya Shkatulka (Malachite Box) and Yellow Khurma (Persimmon). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) with regular foliage. It performs exceptionally well outdoors, reaching … Read more
Quick Summary of Yarik 🌍 Origin: A very dependable Russian commercial/heirloom variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: An indeterminate (tall vining) variety, though some growers describe it as semi-determinate since it often stops around 1.5 meters (5 ft) tall in a greenhouse. 🧬 The Leaf Debate: There is a slight genetic mystery circulating among seed savers: while … Read more
Quick Summary of Yasha Yugoslavian 🌍 Origin & History: A legendary heirloom variety originally brought to the US from Yugoslavia. There is an ongoing historical debate (discussed in this thread) about its connection to the famous Crnkovic Yugoslavian variety, with many believing they are either the same or closely related sister lines from the Vojvodina … Read more
Quick Summary of Yuzhnaya Korona (Southern Crown) 🌍 Origin: A commercial/heirloom variety traded among Eastern European collectors. The name translates to “Southern Crown”. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Visually stunning. They produce large, round, red fruits that are slightly corrugated (ribbed/ruffled) at the shoulders. ⏳ Yield: Exceptionally high. Growers note that the fruiting is “super abundant,” making … Read more
Quick Summary of Crnkovic Yugoslavian 🌍 Origin: A very famous heirloom variety originating from the former Yugoslavia (reportedly brought to the US by Yasha Crnkovic). In Eastern European collections, it is widely traded under the transliterated name “Yugoslavskiy Krnkovicha”. 🌿 Plant Habit: A vigorous indeterminate (tall vining) plant. Growers report excellent results when training the … Read more
Quick Summary of Yubileyniy Tarasenko (Tarasenko’s Jubilee) 🌍 Origin & Breeder Lore: A legendary variety bred by the famous Soviet amateur breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. The name translates to “Tarasenko’s Jubilee”. 🌿 Plant Habit: A tall, vigorous indeterminate that easily reaches 2 meters (6.5 ft). The defining feature of the Tarasenko lines is their Multiflora (Mega-Truss) … Read more
Quick Summary of Yupiter (Jupiter) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom/commercial variety traded among collectors under the name Yupiter (Jupiter). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and extremely vigorous. Growers note that it develops very thick, strong stems that naturally want to bifurcate and branch out into multiple leaders. If not pruned strictly, it will easily turn your … Read more
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Quick Summary of Yustina (Justyna) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded cocktail-sized heirloom variety popular in Eastern European collections. The name is Justyna (often transliterated as Yustina). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) with medium vigor and regular foliage. It responds exceptionally well to minimal pruning (growers recommend pruning suckers only up to the first truss, then … Read more
Quick Summary of Exotic Fruit 🌍 Origin: A vigorously growing heirloom variety traded in Eastern European collections under the English name “Exotic Fruit”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) and very powerful. The plants are highly vigorous and respond very well to multi-stem pruning. Growers successfully train them to 3 or even 4 stems without sacrificing … Read more